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Review Article
13.
Genetic manipulation of endosymbionts to control
vector and vector borne diseases -
Jay Prakash Gupta, K. P. Shyma, Sanjeev Ranjan,
Gyanendra Kumar Gaur, Bharat Bhushan
Vet World. 2012; 5(9): 571-576
doi:
10.5455/vetworld.2012.5
71-576
Abstract
Vector borne
diseases (VBD) are on the rise because of failure of
the existing methods of control of vector and vector
borne diseases and the climate change. A steep rise
of VBDs are due to several factors like selection of
insecticide resistant vector population, drug
resistant parasite population and lack of effective
vaccines against the VBDs. Environmental pollution,
public health hazard and insecticide resistant
vector population indicate that the insecticides are
no longer a sustainable control method of vector and
vector-borne diseases. Amongst the various
alternative control strategies, symbiont based
approach utilizing endosymbionts of arthropod
vectors could be explored to control the vector and
vector borne diseases. The endosymbiont population
of arthropod vectors could be exploited in different
ways viz., as a chemotherapeutic target, vaccine
target for the control of vectors. Expression of
molecules with antiparasitic activity by genetically
transformed symbiotic bacteria of
disease-transmitting arthropods may serve as a
powerful approach to control certain arthropod-borne
diseases. Genetic transformation of symbiotic
bacteria of the arthropod vector to alter the
vector's ability to transmit pathogen is an
alternative means of blocking the transmission of
VBDs. In Indian scenario, where dengue, chikungunya,
malaria and filariosis are prevalent, paratransgenic
based approach can be used effectively.
Keywords:
Arthropod vectors, Genetically modified
endosymbionts, Vector and vector-borne diseases.
